Winston's Zen

Air Traffic’s excellent ‘Fractured Life’ is to receive it’s U.S. launch next month amid a flurry of excitement on the other side of the pond over a track that doesn’t even appear on the UK version of their NME New Music Award nominated debut.

The track, entitled 'Come On' is apparently gaining enough momentum stateside that it is to be used as the U.S. album opener and may also be released as the first U.S. single. Unreleased in the UK the song is to receive it’s first airplay on these shores tonight on Xfm and is to be made available for free download for one week only from the radio stations website.

Winston’s Zen has heard the track and it’s clear to see why the record company would want to use it to increase their chances of success in the notoriously tricky US market. It’s brooding introduction and throbbingly drawn-out build up are spookily reminiscent of Coldplay’s super-hit ‘God Put a Smile Upon Your Face’. But when the shit hits the fan ‘Come On’ spikes Chris Martins drink with half a gram of grade-A indie powder and a sprinkling of lyrical grit that will do little to deter me from describing Air Traffic as sounding a lot like Coldplay walking a hungry Doberman.

Air Traffic - Come On

I’m lucky enough to have tickets for Air Traffic’s gig at Koko tomorrow night, and when they take to the stage I’ll be looking closely to see if there’s anything written on Chris Wall’s hands. If there is, I expect it’ll say “Fuck off”.

Links:
Download ‘Come On’ from Xfm’s website
Air Traffic Homepage
Listen to Air Traffic’s ‘Fractured Life’
Air Traffic on Myspace